Steve Smith has reclaimed the No 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen from Virat Kohli, who dropped down the list after his first-ball duck in Jamaica against the West Indies.
Smith was on the top spot since December 2015. It was only in August 2018, when the Australian was serving a ban for his role in the Newlands ball-tampering incident, that Kohli overtook him on the charts, after reaching career-high rating points in the series against England.
However, the No 4 batsman Smith has fought his way back up the charts in his first series back from the ban, making twin centuries in the first Test against England and 92 in the second. He now averages 63.24 in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane who hit an unbeaten half-century in Sabina Park has returned to the top 10, moving up four places to No 7. Hanuma Vihari, who hit his maiden double century in the same match, has risen 40 places to No 30 in the batting charts.
Jasprit Bumrah and Jason Holder, both of whom picked up fifers in the first innings of their respective teams in the Jamaica Test, have also gained places in the bowler’s rankings, moving up to No 3 and No 4, respectively. The two now stand behind only Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood on the list.